Those with 5.3's weigh in

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Apr 7, 2017
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Mississippi
Son's Avalanche is about at 108,000. Still runs well, albeit not very fast. Burns just a tad of oil (1/2 qt ever OCI---7.5K)

The engine is in a 2010 w/Cylinder Deactiv. and 6speed auto.

What issues to look out for as the miles pile up and the engine gets older (not only engine, but tranny too)

Thx
 
Agree with getting a tune to keep it in 8 cylinder mode all the time. The problem is the DOD lifter will get stuck in 4 cyl mode and start clacking. Then the heads have to come off, lifters and cam replaced to non-DOD. Chrysler has this similar setup but I think it's a little better.
 
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Things to look out for?

Oil consumption and lifter failure.

I have an 2018. Different design with the direct injection. With the newer models torque converter failures is a concern because of the constant shifting in and out of V4 mode.

I have 48,000 on mine, oil consumption is around a half a quart in 5,000 miles, but the thing just shifts all the time. Can't imagine the transmission lasting past 120,000 miles with the way it feels right now.

I've actually seen many 2010's with a boatload of miles on them, driving up and down the highways without issue. A friend of mine has 200,000 on his 2011, beats it to death. Still going strong.
 
Originally Posted by jfairchild327
Best thing you can do for that is talk to someone like Justin at Black bear performance tuning to turn off that stupid cylinder deactivation and to clean up the transmission shifts. Will last forever


OR-he could go here for less than $200.00-and just turn off the AFM. The transmissions are not bad in these trucks. Soft shifts-maybe, but not bad.

https://www.rangetechnology.com/?gc...SAo2HGtcuGOJGQkgPDmDhmEByUwaAm0qEALw_wcB


I have a 2018 Silverado LTZ.
 
I have 2016 5.3 Tahoe with 80K miles...It has been to Miami-NYC 12 times and will be another 3 times this year. I do both highway and gridlock driving.

Uses zero oil [0w20] in 5K miles. I use either Mobil 1 or AC Delco

Still gets awesome highway mileage using only 87 octane Mobil fuel

I change out the ATF every 40-45K miles..The dealer does it.

Thinking about doing a Black Bear tune

No carbon issues with the Direct Injection
 
I've got a 2004 Buick Rainier SUV with the LM4 5.3L engine and 4L60E transmission. The LM4 is an aluminum-block engine, and I've got 224K trouble-free miles on it now. Transmission is original and has had fluid and filter changes every 50K miles. I think I'll make it to 300K miles easily with this vehicle.
 
Tuning out DOD does not guarantee you won't have a mechanical failure at some point. Turning if off with Range Technology or tuner does stop it from shifting so often. I just gave away a Range Technology to a Caprice guy.

You many never have a failure, but a delete with everything runs 2000 to 3000 dollars depending on where you go.
It is hit and miss. I see Caprice guys running 150,000 miles on them and 11,000 to 12,000 engine hours on the stock DOD, I have seen others fail before 100,000.
The parts were updated in 2014.

Just pay attention to it, if you develop the lifter tick, park it until you can get it fixed. You may never have a failure.

They are an easy 250,000 to 300,000 mile engine. Lots out there like that, even post DOD failure.

A 2010 should be a 6L80E 6 speed. Pretty good unit, much better then the 4L60/65E. You should have a fluid exchange, not flush done if you have not done it yet.

Service interval on the 6L80E in my Caprice is every 45,000 miles. Same goes for the 6L90E in 2017 3500HD. Can't imagine it is much different for a 2010 with a 5.3

I just removed the DOD from the Caprice(no failure, wanted more hp/torque). New lifters, head gaskets, lifter valley cover, timing chain, timing chain guide, timing chain cover gasket, lifter trays, hardened push rods, valve springs, ARP head bolts, ARP timing chain bolts, ARP exhaust manifold bolts, Brian Tooley Racing (BTR) Stage 1 cam was just about 1400 bucks. Then 600 dollars for a dyno tune because I went bigger than stock. If you have someone do it 1400 to 2000 dollars labor. A good delete kit can be had for 500 bucks with stock specs, plus labor if you have a failure.

I would just do 5000 mile oil changes with Mobil 1 5W-30 (or what ever it calls for) and service the transmission every 45,000 miles.

I have had an 04 5.3 1500, 02 6.0 2500HD, 98 LS1 Camaro, 01 LS1 Camaro, 00 WS6, 2014 DOD L77 (6.0 Caprice) and the 2017 6.0 3500HD
I have used Mobil1 in all of them except for a 4 year period of Amsoil in the WS6. Didn't make a difference and it used less oil on the Mobil 1. Trans Am is the only one that use oil. About a quart every 6000 miles, but to be fair, it at one point, it did not live an easy life and it has aftermarket heads and Cam.
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Basic DOD delete kit. Basically just gets rid of the lifters that fail and DOD. So you still need to tune it out. A good dyno tune is 500 to 600 bucks.
07-13 GM truck DOD kit.

And if you want a better cam, all new lifters, timing chain etc....
DOD delete kit with cam, lifters, spring etc
 
Originally Posted by Silverado12
Agree with getting a tune to keep it in 8 cylinder mode all the time. The problem is the DOD lifter will get stuck in 4 cyl mode and start clacking. Then the heads have to come off, lifters and cam replaced to non-DOD. Chrysler has this similar setup but I think it's a little better.



Yup, brother and I put a way better cam and lifters in his 2007 Saab 9-7 SUV and using his laptop and software took the AFM crap out for good. It runs really good now too BTW
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He runs plain ole M1 0w30 in it too for 5k oci's
 
03 avalanche with 85k. No afm here. All towing. I hear the oil pickup tube o-ring can be a problem.

Engine has been great. Rear end rebuilt due to previous owner boat dunking the rear end in seawater. I had the trans rebuilt when all the pan bolts sheared off from rust during a fluid/filter change.
 
You can turn DOD off but the parts are still in there and they've been working for 108k. Luck of the draw if he'll have any problems but good synthetic oil on conservative OCIs does seem to help. The only way to know they won't fail is to replace the DOD parts with normal stuff. Kits out there to do it. A guy at work has a 2007 Silverado 5.3, first year of DOD and the most likely to fail, he bought new now over 160k with no problems. He only short trips, OC is whenever he remembers, couldn't tell you what oil and filter was ever put in at the quicklube places and Wallyworld. Owners on silveradosierra.com have reported failures after turning DOD off doing short OCIs with good stuff. Point is no guarantee, he might run it another 108k if he does nothing or it might fail the week after he turns DOD off. There might have been some mechanical updates by 2010 making it more reliable.

CKN, your 2018 has an Ecotec3 motor that pretty much fixed the failures.

Edit: I thought ls1Mike did a delete and he posted while I was typing....
 
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Originally Posted by AZjeff
You can turn DOD off but the parts are still in there and they've been working for 108k. Luck of the draw if he'll have any problems but good synthetic oil on conservative OCIs does seem to help. The only way to know they won't fail is to replace the DOD parts with normal stuff. Kits out there to do it. A guy at work has a 2007 Silverado 5.3, first year of DOD and the most likely to fail, he bought new now over 160k with no problems. He only short trips, OC is whenever he remembers, couldn't tell you what oil and filter was ever put in at the quicklube places and Wallyworld. Owners on silveradosierra.com have reported failures after turning DOD off doing short OCIs with good stuff. Point is no guarantee, he might run it another 108k if he does nothing or it might fail the week after he turns DOD off. There might have been some mechanical updates by 2010 making it more reliable.

CKN, your 2018 has an Ecotec3 motor that pretty much fixed the failures.

Edit: I thought ls1Mike did a delete and he posted while I was typing....


I have a 2018 and I'm on the Silverado forums all of the time...as far as I can see, they haven't fixed the lifter failures on the newer models. I personally haven't experienced it - hopefully never will - but others sure have. Unfortunately lots of problems on the newer trucks...injectors, torque converters, starters, AC condensers.
 
99 Silverado 5.3 87,000 miles. uses half qt at 5000 oci. trans changed 2x . runs flawless. very fast would not trade for a new one with a fm. wate r pump went at 70k. no other issue with motor gets 18 mpg city
 
99 Silverado parked in 2017. 254k on both the 5.3 and 4l60e. Both are fine. Numerous other things went. Things that parked it were cracked frame and rusted all over.
 
Originally Posted by Railrust
Originally Posted by AZjeff
You can turn DOD off but the parts are still in there and they've been working for 108k. Luck of the draw if he'll have any problems but good synthetic oil on conservative OCIs does seem to help. The only way to know they won't fail is to replace the DOD parts with normal stuff. Kits out there to do it. A guy at work has a 2007 Silverado 5.3, first year of DOD and the most likely to fail, he bought new now over 160k with no problems. He only short trips, OC is whenever he remembers, couldn't tell you what oil and filter was ever put in at the quicklube places and Wallyworld. Owners on silveradosierra.com have reported failures after turning DOD off doing short OCIs with good stuff. Point is no guarantee, he might run it another 108k if he does nothing or it might fail the week after he turns DOD off. There might have been some mechanical updates by 2010 making it more reliable.

CKN, your 2018 has an Ecotec3 motor that pretty much fixed the failures.

Edit: I thought ls1Mike did a delete and he posted while I was typing....


I have a 2018 and I'm on the Silverado forums all of the time...as far as I can see, they haven't fixed the lifter failures on the newer models. I personally haven't experienced it - hopefully never will - but others sure have. Unfortunately lots of problems on the newer trucks...injectors, torque converters, starters, AC condensers.


We must be on different forums (And I'm three specific GM truck forums)-I haven't seen ANY FAILURES (AFM parts) on the 2018-5.3s. So even if there are-it's not widespread.
 
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Only have 33k on 2017 and 18k on 2018 L83's with AFM … no issues - ran 2010 hard for 8 years and never saw the dealer … had a couple before that no issues … no oil use.
BiL did 400k with tires, brakes, two wheel bearings (pre AFM)
Seems like nobody is pushing oil very long in L83's over DI ?
 
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